"POSITION OF OUTER PLAYERS WITH REGARD TO ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA WILL BECOME CLEAR IN JANUARY," STEPAN GRIGORIAN BELIEVES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 10 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. At present, the attitude of the main
outer players towards the forthcoming presidential elections of Armenia
is not distinct as yet and will become clear close to the deadline for
holding elections, in January, in all probability. This information was
provided to a Noyan Tapan correspondent by Stepan Grigorian, the Head
of the Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Development.

In his words, the nomination of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the first
President of the Republic of Armenia, was unexpected for the outer
forces: the European Union, the Council of Europe, OSCE, as well as
the United States of America, as the latters are not accustomed to the
idea that there is a serious rival among the Armenian oppositionists
for the state power. In the opinion of Stepan Grigorian, the West,
in the face of the United States of America and Europe, should
demand from the Armenian authorities to hold transparent elections
and conduct a strict control over the electoral processes.

As regards Russia, in the words of Stepan Grigorian, it is interested
neither in fair elections nor in the development of democracy: the
most important thing for Russia is to preserve its influence upon
Armenia. The political scientist mentioned that they have not forgotten
in Moscow that it was during the very tenure of Levon Ter-Petrosian
that the agreements on the Russian military base in Armenia, on the
joint guard of the borders of Armenia, as well as the Great Agreement
on Cooperation between Armenia and Russia, signed in August 1997,
in Moscow, were concluded and ratified.

"These factors, of course, cannot help being taken into consideration
in Moscow, since they understand there that it is improvident to count
on the authorities, which do not enjoy the confidence of society,"
Stepan Grigorian said.